1.Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing rods and, more particularly, to a mark on a fishing rod that is representative of a visual characteristic of a species of fish, ideally for which species the rod is intended to be used.
2.Background Art
There are a multitude of different types of fishing rods. These rods vary in composition, length, thickness, etc., which give the various fishing rods different durability, flexibility, and feel.
Since different types of fish react differently when taking bait and "fighting", it is desirable to match the fishing rod characteristics to the particular species of fish to maximize feel and enjoyment to the fisherman. For example, when fishing for species that strike a bait in a tentative fashion and are relatively unaggressive when hooked, it is desirable to have a highly sensitive rod. Species that are aggressive fighters permit use of a more rigid rod.
Many manufacturers, including the assignee herein, offer rods with features matched to particular species to maximize enjoyment to the fisherman seeking out that species. If one peruses the displays in sporting goods stores, one will see different rods identified as "bass" rods, "trout" rods, "muskie" rods, etc.
Since there are wide range of materials used in fishing rod construction, it is not always possible to identify the performance characteristics of a fishing rod by its shape. For example, a relatively thin rod may be more rigid than a larger diameter rod by reason of the materials of construction in each.
Thus, the only certain way to determine the species for which a rod is designed is to check the packaging or a tag used by the distributor of the rod. Aside from the fact that reading descriptive materials accompanying fishing rods is often inconvenient, once the rod is in use, the tags and packaging are normally discarded and therefore unavailable. The user may then be forced to guess as to the manufacturer's intended match between rod and species. Even when this information is placed directly on the rod, it is often difficult to see, or may be viewable within a limited angular range. Thus a quick view of an extensive rod display may not be significantly informative.